Bookshop.org is delighted to bring back its charitable initiative Read It Forward for a third year in a row, in partnership with BookTrust and Scottish Book Trust, and with new ambassadors for the 2026 edition.
Top children’s authors will once again throw their support behind the charitable drive, with the 2026 ambassadors announced today. These will be: children’s author of the Fairytale Woods series and star of film, television and stage Ben Miller; former Waterstones Children’s Laureate Joseph Coelho; and Gill Sims, author of hugely successful parenting blog ‘Peter and Jane’ and of the YA novel Lila Mackay is Very Misunderstood.
As in previous years, the charitable initiative will see 10% of every children’s book sale made in February 2026 donated to BookTrust and Scottish Book Trust, while also supporting independent bookshops as per Bookshop.org’s ongoing mission.
The drive’s aim is to inspire a love of reading in the next generation, with the money raised going towards BookTrust and Scottish Book Trust’s work in supporting children from vulnerable and disadvantaged backgrounds.
Next year, Read It Forward will happen in the context of the National Year of Reading, the nation-wide initiative taking place in 2026 to encourage people of all ages to read for pleasure. The campaign was launched in response to declining reading enjoyment among young people and aims to increase literacy, boost wellbeing, and build a culture where “reading is for everyone”.
In 2025, Read It Forward raised money to support over 1,550 families, bringing books to children who need them the most, and received incredible support from ambassadors Alexander Armstrong, Catherine Rayner, Andy Day, Serena Patel, and Nadine Aisha Jassat, as well as authors, illustrators, publishers, influencers and beyond, including Adam Kay, Jessie Burton, Tim Harford, Frank Cottrell Boyce, Robin Stevens, Kiran Millwood Hargrave, Abi Elphinstone, Christopher Edge and many more backing the initiative on their channels.
Ben Miller said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be part of Read It Forward. Anything that helps children discover the joy of stories — and supports our wonderful independent bookshops at the same time — is worth shouting about from the highest rooftops. In my books, I try to celebrate the old magic of fairytales: the spark that lights up a child’s imagination and, if we’re lucky, keeps burning right through adulthood. This campaign is such a brilliant reminder that we all have a part to play in keeping that magic alive. I’m also delighted to be teaming up with Bookshop.org, whose mission to help local bookshops thrive online is something I wholeheartedly believe in. And what better time to support such a brilliant drive than with the National Year of Reading just around the corner?”
Joseph Coelho said: “Reading for pleasure broadens horizons and enables us all to learn more about ourselves and each other. When you pick up a book you don’t know where it’s going to take you, or the person you will be when you put it down. It is every child’s right to read for pleasure and to have the opportunity to find those books that can profoundly change their lives or just let laugh out loud. I’m so excited to be an ambassador for Read It Forward in 2026. Scottish Book Trust and BookTrust do wonderful work to get books into the hand of those who need them the most, so I encourage book buyers to get behind this brilliant charity drive next February.”
Gill Sims said: “I’m thrilled to be one of the ambassadors for Read It Forward 2026. After writing my first book for young adults, I’m especially passionate about making sure that teenagers, as well as children, continue to experience the benefits of reading. Adolescence is a phase where no-one seems to understand you. I believe reading can be a wonderful way to unlock empathy, and help young people realise that actually, their feelings and experiences are valid. I encourage everyone who has a teen in their life to get behind Read It Forward next February, and buy a book or two in support of both young people’s literacy and bookshops!”
Diana Gerald MBE, Co-CEO of BookTrust, said: “We’re extremely pleased that Bookshop.org is supporting BookTrust again this year. Shared reading early on in life can have a huge impact on bonding, happiness, wellbeing and much more, but not all families have the chance to experience it. Funds raised by Bookshop.org and its customers will help us reach even more children, particularly vulnerable children and those from lower income backgrounds. Through our ongoing Reading Rights campaign and with the National Year of Reading approaching in 2026, it’s more important than ever that every child can access the transformative power of books.”
Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said: “Scottish Book Trust is delighted to be part of Read it Forward in 2026, and to build on the impact of this year’s campaign during the National Year of Reading. Funds raised will continue to help support young families facing challenging circumstances across Scotland, particularly through our early years work including specialist outreach programme Bookbug for the Home. The demand for our work continues to grow and we’re excited to be part of an initiative that supports families and children as well as independent bookshops.”
Nicole Vanderbilt, Managing Director of Bookshop.org UK, said: “We’re so excited to be launching our third Read It Forward drive next February, and to be joined by such high-calibre authors as our ambassadors. Knowing that we were able to support 1,550 families through last year’s initiative makes us confident in the impact of our efforts, and even more willing to help BookTrust and Scottish Book Trust to inspire a love for reading in the younger generations. Read It Forward is a great opportunity for publishers across the UK to get behind the initiative not only to support children’s literacy and indie bookshops, but also to promote and amplify their best children’s titles of 2026. We encourage the whole book industry to mark their calendars and get ready to become involved with their top children’s authors and books of 2026.”
All children’s book sales are eligible, from beloved backlist titles to recent releases, to pre-orders for books published later in the year. Bookshop.org is encouraging publishers and authors to select their top children’s and YA titles, and get ready to be involved with the campaign next February. A comprehensive toolkit, including social media assets, is available at this link.
Image: L-R: Ben Miller, Joseph Coelho, Gill Sims
